He is building a state of the art dementia care centre of excellence in Wrexham, which will create 100 new jobs when it opens in May.

He said: “There are a lot of good value and high quality services to be found in North East Wales.

“Very often you can get a better job done more competitively by a local firm and, by doing so, boost the local economy at the same time.

“It makes excellent business sense to work in partnership together – it’s better for everybody concerned.”

“The care sector also has important spin-offs for the local economy because 65% of its turnover goes in wages to local people, who spend it in shops and businesses.”

The Eagles Meadow shopping complex opened in autumn 2008, just as the recession was beginning to bite, but against the odds – and many predictions – it has proved the doubters wrong and has had a successful first year.

Centre manager Kevin Critchley said: “Eagles Meadow is an integral part of the town centre and we’ve been working with the council and traders to build on this.

“The way forward is for us all to work together with the council and with local organisations such as the markets to attract more people into the town.”